The federal Liberals are urging Public Safety Minister Vic Toews to give Coptic churches in this country the money they need to install security cameras and alarm systems to prevent deadly terrorist attacks like the one rocked Egypt last week.
MP Mark Holland, the public safety critic, said in a release on Friday that high-alert warnings from the RCMP about potential attacks on Coptic churches in Canada should prompt the Conservative government to dip into the fund it created in 2007 to protect communities at risk from hate crimes.
“There is funding available through the Security Infrastructure Program specifically allocated to provide the equipment, services and training so everyone who enters these churches can be assured of the very best in safety and security technology,” Mr. Holland said.
A website affiliated with Al Qaida has posted a list of Canadian Coptic Christians it targeted for attacks and many Coptic churches, which celebrated Christmas on Thursday, scaled back their celebrations in solidarity with fellow worshipers in Egypt.
The Security Infrastructure Program provides matching funds for churches, schools and community centres that want to bolster their security systems. But the application deadline for financial support from the fund, which was extended several times, has been closed since July and all of the money has been allocated. So Mr. Toews would have to find additional money if he were to provide special funds to the Copts.
With a potential election on the horizon, all federal parties are trying to shore up support within religious communities whose members populate the suburban areas around Canada’s large cities.
Mr. Toews spent the Coptic Christmas Eve at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in Winnipeg.
“As Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper said today, this year, recent violence and persecution of Eastern Christians – in particular the violence against Iraqi Christians and last week's terrorist attack on a Coptic Church in Egypt – have sadly cast a dark shadow over this year's Christmas celebrations, which should be a time of peace and joy,” Mr. Toews said in a statement. “We condemn these attacks and further threats of violence towards Eastern Christians.”
